News
New buildings at ice cream-making Pointz Castle Farm backed
Plans to build new agricultural buildings at a farm known for its ice cream have been backed by national park planners.
Applicant Mr Lawrence submitted plans to build a roof covering with cubicles over an existing nutrient store and a replacement roof and frame for an existing agricultural building at Pointz Castle Farm, Pen Y Cwm, near Solva.
The application – supported by local community council Brawdy – was recommended for conditional approval when it came before Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s Development Management Committee on July 19.
350 cattle herd Pointz Castle Farm, situated close to scheduled monument Pointz Castle Mound, the remains of a medieval castle, diversified to include the sale of ice cream from a café on site a few years ago.
In a report for members, the Park’s ecologist said: “The development will have a neutral or negligible environmental effect and may even result in a slight betterment.”
The report said the new constructions would be positioned on the same footprint as those already existing.
“This considered location will minimise impacts arising from the development and its ongoing use as far as is possible.
“The development to the existing nutrient store in particular on the southern fringe of the farm complex will certainly compound the visual bulk of the farm complex.
“However, this bulk will blend fairly unobtrusively with the wider setting and will not cause an unacceptably adverse impact on the qualities and special landscape and seascape character of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.”
It finished: “Overall, the proposal will improve the functional processes of the agricultural activity taking place and create acceptable impacts on ecology and landscape features.”
Councillor Peter Morgan moved the application be approved, backed by fellow councillors Mike James and Di Clements.
Councillor Tony Wilcox said: “It’s nice to see this has actually gone through the process and is not retrospective,” adding: “We do get some farms….”
Crime
Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property
A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.
Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.
The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.
The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.
The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.
News
Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’
THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”
The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.
Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”
NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.
“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.
“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”
The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”
This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.
Community
Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed
RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.
The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.
Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.
Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.
The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.
With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.
“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”
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